Julian h



J. H. SMITH.

PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING MACHINE.

APP LlCATION FILED 050.13. 1920.

. 4 17 Patented Aug. 15, 1922;

Z5 FI Z Y Z0 W/ bcxoy Q/i/a V .5/27/% BY 1 11%.. 15 M d ATTORNEY i Toall whom 't'may concern? useful UNITED STATES P ATENT OFFICE.

JULIAN E. SMITH, 0F SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR T0 SPECIALTY MANUFAC-TUBING COMPANY, OF SEATTLE, .WASI-IINGTON', A CORPORATION OF WASHINGTON.

.. rHoroGRArHIo-rnmrme MACHINE.

Be it known that I, JULrAN H. SMITH, a

citizen oftthe United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of Kingand State of W'ashin'gton, have invented certain new and Improvements inPhotographic- Printin'g Machines, of which the following is aspecification. i 1 z This. invention .relatestd photographic printingapparatus; and its object is the perfecting of "apparatus of thischaracter whereby the operation of printing "is" facili= tated andthe'quality of the work improved.

The invention relates more particularly to the platen, the platencarrier, the peculiar manner of connecting theIthem to each other, andto connections between said carrier and the machine frame:

The invention further consists in certain details of construction,arrangement and 1 combinations thereof as will be hereinafter describedand claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is aside elevational view of themachine platen and thecarrier therefor, shown applied to the upperportionof the cabinet of a printing machine, which is shown inlongitudinal vertical section." Fig '2 is a plan view of'Fig. Fig.i 3*is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional viewthrough 4-4 of Fig.2.

In said drawings,the numeral 5 represents the box member of a cabinethaving a top or table element 6. This table is provided with an opening7 having a glass plate 8 therein whose upper surface is in a plane withthe upper surface of the table.

9 represents a block, preferably of metal, having secured to itsunderside one or more plys, 10, of rubber, felt, or other suitableresilient material and constituting with the said block the platen ofthe machine.

Protruding from opposite sides of the platen block element 9'and inaxial alignment with each other are studs 11 which ex tend intoapertures, such as 12, provided in the side bar elements 13 of asubstantially rectangular frame or platen carrier, hereinafterdesignated as the presser.

The apertures 12 are of greater depths than the diameters of therespective studs to I afford relative vertical movements betweenSpecification of Letters Patent; Patcrgted [Riga 15, 1922, I Applieation filed nece mber 13, 1920. Serial No. 420,134..

Each of the presser side bars 18 is provided integrally with a bracketelement 14 extending over theadjacent side of the platen.

Each of the elements 14 have a screw threaded hole 15 (F 4) for a screw16 which affords an adjustable stop to limit the elevation of the platenwith respect to the presser. c

Between the presser bracket 14 and the platen are"helical compressionsprings 17 which serve to yieldingly retain the platen at its lowermostposition with respect to the presser as governed by the movement of thestuds 11 within the apertures 12.'

The rear bar element 18 of the presser is desirably in the nature ofarod which at its ends is ournaled in bifurcated posts 19 pro-'attachment 21 by means of a spring-'22 which tends to yieldingly retainthe presser and the positions. v I Thepress'er from bar element 23 isformed at its; rear side with a finger engaging portion 24 andat itsfront is provided spaced aperturedlugs 25 throughwhich a rod'26 extendstransversely. Fulcrumed upon the rod 26 is a lever having an upwardlyextendingarm 27 which is surmounted by a hand support 28. The other arm29 of said lever extends downwardly in the form of a hook having aninner cam surface 30 inclined as shown in Fig. 1 to be engageable withthe underside of a roller 31 provided in astand 32 securedto the table6.

Coiled about the rod 26 are elements 33 of a spring having a centralportion 84 engaging in the lever arm 27 and with its extremitiesengaging against the front element 23 of the presser. This spring actsto yieldingly retain the lever arm 29 in its most forward position so asto be free from the roller 31*when the presser is being brought downinto printing position.

The operation of the invention may be explained as follows:

Assuming a negative is placed upon the glass plate 8 and a sensitizedpiece of paper platen in their rearmost elevated is placed upon asupport therefor, not shown, provided at the underside of the platen,the paper is by means of the presser brought into printing positionagainst the negative.

The printing is accomplished by means of light rays passing through thenegative from an electric lamp located within the box member.

In carrying the paper into the printing position above referred to thepresser is swung in opposition to the power of spring 22 by the operatormanipulating the presser with his fingers engaging in the presser part24L while the palm of the hand rests upon the support 28 of the camlever 2729 as indicated in Fig. 1.

hen the downward movement of the platen is arrested by the table 6 orglass 8 the operator, with his hand acting through the medium of thesupport 28, actuates said lever to cause the cam arm 29 thereof toengage under the roller 31 whereby the presser is forced down to makethe platen bear firmly against. the work.

By thus affording presser locking and cramping means actuated by thesame hand which swings the presser forwardly and downwardly about itspivotal connection with the posts, the feeding operation of aphotographic printing machine is rendered more rapid and a betterquality of work insured.

The carrying of the platen into and cramping the same in operativeposition is, moreover, performed in substantially a con tinuous movementof the operators hand and arm. Torelease the presser so that the spring22 may restore the platen into a position to receive a new piece ofsensitized paper, it is essential only that the operator pushes againstthe lever part 28 while retaining hold of the part 24 with his fingers.

The hand not occupied with operating the presser and parts associatedtherewith as above explained is employed in replacing upon the latensensitized papers between the successive printing operations.

The function of the springs 17 is to cooperate with the yielding of thematerial in the platen parts 10 to accommodate relative movementsbetween the platen and presser when the latter. is urged downwardlythrough the agency of the cam device 30 subsequent to the seating of theplaten.

In practice, the screws 16 are regulated so that the ends thereof willserve as stops to limit the movement of the platen block 9 with respectto the presser, whereby the resilient platen parts 10 are compelled towith stand the final pressure.

What I claim, is,

.In a photographic printing machine, a cabinet, a platen provided withaxially aligned studs projecting laterally therefrom, a pressercomprising a rectangular frame enclosing said platen, the side membersof said frame being provided with slots to receive the platen studs,said frame members being also provided with apertured bracket elementsextending over the platen, screws adjustably engageable in saidapertures and extending into proximity of the platen, springs lnterposedbetween the respective bracket elements and the platen, a catch providedon the cabinet, and means carried by the presser and engageable withsaid catch for releasably securing the platen under pressure upon thecabinet.

Signed at Seattle, Washington, this 1st day of December, 1920.

JULIAN H. SMITH.

\Vitnesses:

PIERRE BARNES, MARGARET Gr. SUPPLE.

